Monthly Archives: March 2013

Want to make your backyard a little more beautiful this spring? Why not start with a clothesline or a water fountain. If you don’t already use a clothesline, this spring is a great time to start!

Many people like to see humming birds in addition to other amazing birds in their yard during the spring and summer. in addition to food sources, convenient perching opportunities will make your yard more hospitable to them. Hummingbirds in particular spend roughly 80% of their time sitting on stems and clotheslines.

Photo courtesy of newviewartglass.com

Solar water fountains are another great Eco addition to your backyard that will welcome in nature. A water fountain is a stunning addition to any garden and will draw in both butterflies and birds alike.

So plant a garden (and stay tuned to the blog later in the spring for garden entries), hang your clothes to dry on a clothesline or rack, and invite natures beauty into your backyard while resting assured you are doing your part to keep it that way!

Saturday March 23, 2013 at 8:30pm marks Earth Hour. The simple idea to switch off your lights for an hour has become the world’s fastest growing global environmental movement. From 8:30pm-9:30pm people all over the world will be switching off their lights to support sustainable environmental practices.

“Earth Hour now inspires a global community of millions of people in 7,001 cities and towns across 152 countries and territories to switch off their lights for one hour as a demonstration of concern for the greater environment.” For more information on Earth Hour 2013 and how you can take part please visit http://earthhour.org/ and don’t forget to hit the lights tomorrow night!

Here at Greenway we love the colour green, even our offices are painted what we call “The Greenway Green”. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day this weekend, we have found some amazing green decor ideas that will take your home interior from St.Patrick’s Day to spring, and even into next winter.

Here are some inspiring options where the rooms have been completely transformed into a green oasis.

Don’t want to paint or tile your walls? That’s understandable and will not get in the way of making your room a little more green. By adding green accessories or furniture, you can get the same look with only a little bit of work.

Better Homes and Gardens

52 Mantels

Martha Stewart

Better Homes and Gardens

Country Living

With the Pantone colour of the year being Emerald, it is easy to see why these spring inspired rooms can be fashionable year round. Happy St.Patrick’s Day and happy decorating!

Whether you live alone or have a large family, creating a healthy environment is an important step to well being and living a longer, happier life. Making a healthy home does not mean you need to change your whole lifestyle but starting with a few small steps can lead to bigger ones in the long run.

The Center for Disease Control provides a comprehensive list on their website of things you can do around the house to make it a healthier place for everyone. It gives you tips by each individual room such as things you can do in the kitchen, garage etc. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyhomes/byroom/index.html

Some easy first steps include adding more energy efficient products to your household, using natural cleaners, drying your clothes on the clothesline, and installing a whole home water purification system.

Cabinets and doors are things we open and close every day. But what lurks behind those closed doors that are not visible to the eye? Storage! Think of all of the potential space that could be utilized to make your home a cleaner and more organized place. I have hunted down some of the most creative and accessible options to help create your hidden storage areas from around the web (and Pinterest of course).

Better Homes & Gardens suggests using none other than a shoe organizer, which in this case has been labelled and re-purposed to hold anything from pencils to kitchen utensils. Shoe organizers are also a great option in children’s closets to hold dolls, toy cars, or stuffed animals.

This super crafty option from Infarrantly Creative saves you the drawer space and hassle of searching for measuring cups while attempting to remember measurement conversions.

The Story of Home Blog has provided a door storage option for wrapping items.

The insides of cabinets and doors can be painted and crafted to match any decor. Chalkboard paint can be used inside of cabinets to add a hidden family calendar or message board.